Continental Milch Goats. 39 



as they- are in Belgium, Germany, and other countries, 

 their home is, and has always been, in those Swiss cantons 

 whence many of them derive their names. We further 

 read : " Our neighbours breed specially with a view to 

 colour, and apply themselves to abolish horns. They 

 think to be able thus to transform varieties into actual 

 breeds ; but we affirm, basing our opinion on a long and 

 attentive experience, that there exists still no difference in 

 the milking value of a selected Alpine from Switzerland 

 and one equally selected from France." In the previous 

 paragraph to that from which these words are extracted 

 we are told that "in Switzerland the goat is better 

 treated and better cared for than in France." Now we 

 all know, and M. Crepin himself admits, that it is this 

 extra care (" bans soins ") that a goat receives which 

 makes it a better milker than others not so treated, and 

 especially does it tend to a long continued lactation, both 

 these features being particularly observable in most of the 

 goats of Switzerland, and especially in those that are well 

 looked after. If, therefore, this judicious system has been 

 pursued for a great number of years there is every reason 

 why Swiss breeds should be better milkers than those of 

 France. 



No better testimony to the value of Swiss breeds of 

 goats could be afforded than the exportation which goes 

 on annually from the various cantons to every part of the 

 civilised world where a demand for milch goats has been 

 created. This has been the case especially during the 

 last fifteen or twenty years, and the consequence is that 

 prices have considerably risen since the first consignment 

 of Toggenburgs was landed in this country. The present 

 quotations in Switzerland are : for she- goats of this breed 

 from one to two years old just before kidding, 505. to ^3 ; 

 males from ^3 to ,5. Saanens, under the same con- 

 ditions, cost a fourth more. 



